The Queen Mary

My wife and I are from Oklahoma and we recently took a cruise out of San Pedro.  We stayed one night on the Queen Mary before our cruise and two more nights after our cruise on the Queen.  Okay, I admit it, I am a HUGE ocean liner fan!  So obviously, to me, this is the Mount Everest of all destinations that are ocean liner related!  That being said, I would like to convey to the average person (who may not be as full as ship as I am) just how incredible this ship and hotel really is.  This is not just a hotel, it is truly a destination!  This ship has it all.   An onboard hotel, restaurants, bars, live entertainment, shopping, but most of all, this is an actual piece of living history that has been turned into a floating museum.  The Queen Mary is the last of her kind, there are no other ocean liners from this age left, they have all either been scrapped or have sunk.  There are so many exhibits to see onboard the ship.   The bridge, the radio room, the captain's quarters, the promenade deck, the engine room, not to mention the dozens of exhibits that are spread throughout the ship.  There are guided tours (which cost a little extra) or you can tour the ship at your leisure (unguided) also for a modest cost.  The cool thing is that hotel guests do not have to pay for the unguided tour and if you want the guided tour, it is half price!   What is amazing to me is that you literally get to explore this incredible ship and walk the same decks and corridors as so many famous people from that era (like Queen Mary, Queen Elizabeth. Queen Elizabeth II, King George, Winston Churchill, Judy Garland, Walt Disney and dozens of others when they sailed on her.  The rich ornate woodwork, the art deco style throughout the ship and the sheer size of this ship will leave you awestruck! Regarding the hotel, there are several different options to choose from Interior rooms are the least expensive, but it should also be noted that these rooms were "remodeled" back in the early 70's.  The first night (before our cruise) was in one of these interior rooms.  The last two nights (after our cruise) we got an exterior stateroom (which cost a little more, but was so incredibly worth it!).  The reason why it was worth it to us was because our stateroom had most of the original woodwork and the atmosphere felt like we were literally transported back in time to the 1930's (with the exception of modern day television with DirecTV, as well as a modern day king sized bed, which was completely okay with us!).   The staff was incredibly friendly and attentive, across the board.   The front desk staff, the waiters and waitresses, the bartenders, the house cleaning and of course, the tour guides!   A H U G E shout out to the following individuals who went above and beyond in making our stay magical and unforgettable: Sean Speciale On our last morning, I got up early to spend one last time taking as many photos of the ship as I could when I ran into Sean who was making his morning rounds.  I asked Sean (who at that time was leaving the Carpathia Room) if he would allow me to take some additional photos inside this room.  Sean was incredibly gracious and not only allowed me to take photos within that room, he went above and beyond as far as customer service goes, as I know that he is extremely busy with his schedule.  While speaking with him, he also shared with me his vast experience in hospitality management and it is so refreshing to learn that the Queen Mary now has such incredible management on board (pun intended)!  Sean is passionate, professional, experienced and I can tell that he truly loves his job as well as the ship.  It makes my heart happy knowing that he is on the team! Paul Jacek I don't even know where to begin.   Paul was absolutely amazing!  The Queen Mary's team absolutely has the right man for the job of being an Officer on board the Queen!  Paul was knowledgeable, witty, courteous, professional, compassionate and down right funny all rolled into one!  He was so incredibly gracious with his time as well.  My wife and I spoke with him up in the Captain's Quarters on the Promenade Deck and I shared my passion for the Queen (as well as my love of ocean liners).  Not only did Paul answer all of my questions, he was a treasure trove of knowledge and facts about the Queen that I had no idea about.  And if that wasn't already enough, he also went above and beyond by taking my wife and I on a brief private tour of some areas of the ship that I had never seen!  What was so amazing to us was the fact that Paul, all along the way, had so much information about every place that he took us to as well as us just walking with him, we would ask a question and he instantly had answers!  A HUGE sincere thank you to Paul for also helping make my dream come true of seeing this beautiful ship! Katy, Front Desk Katy was so kind and gracious in helping us get checked in and answered all of our questions about our stay, amenities, dining, etc.  The thing that stood out to me was how incredibly friendly she was.  My wife and I could tell that she truly cared about us and really enjoyed what she was doing.  Please share with her that even though our interaction may have been brief, she left a huge positive impact on us! The Promenade Cafe was exceptional!  During our stay, we ate there four times and not only was the food great tasting as well as the portions generous, but the price was VERY reasonable!  Of course the server staff was very considerate, fast and friendly.  The Observation Bar at the front of the ship was also amazing.  The atmosphere, the completed restoration work that was done there and the overall vibe was fantastic!  While we were in the bar, there was also a live band and the cocktails were top shelf! Overall, our experience from a one 10 (with 10 being the best) was a 15!  I highly recommend staying the night on board the Queen Mary and if not, at a bare minimum, plan an excursion day trip of it and have lunch on board (because there is so much to do and see, it will take you all day)!  Job well done to the entire team at the Queen Mary for making our stay a truly wonderful memory that we will cherish for years to come!  We will definitely be back!

Friendly staff, excellent food and drinks, Comfortable beds, really fun Speakeasy!

Our second stay and not our last. The dining is excellent. Live in the day!

Had the best time with granddaughter.

It totally exceeded our expectations. Loved the amount of history in film which is not just entertainment but educational as well. Perfect.

We have stayed on the Queen Mary several times...We always enjoy our visits.

Dinner and experience great, bar completely over crowded! With multiple events, there was a line outside and not worth the wait. Worst was at midnight when a smoke alarm went off and the whole hotel and ship were evacuated. Being disabled, I asked staff where I needed to meet somebody to escort me down the elevator and I was told they had no such protocol and I was forced to walk down three flights of stairs. I didn't need my walker a wheelchair for an overnight trip, but if I was confined to one, there is no way I would've made it downstairs. Upon checkout, I was told by another staff member that I should've been met at the elevators with staff for security and been escorted down. The person who told me different appear to be a manager and should've known better. I usually stay once a year for an event or to meet family who are going on cruises, but I will no longer stay as it is a major safety issue.

Last minute, I decided to spend the night and was surprised to find that I had no problems booking a room and at a cost that I felt was very reasonable. The room, and for that matter, the entire ship was a treat! Very comfortable. Definitely planning on staying again. Last note, the staff were awesome! The woman who was running the gift shop on A deck could not have been nicer!

My stay was good, I would of stayed longer, but didn't have the time.

What a wonderful two night stay we had! Such a beautiful ship! Loved all the history, the meals were outstanding, we loved our spacious suite, comfy beds, the staff helpful and engaging! We are so glad we made this stay part of our trip! Cammie and Bill.

Both the Chelsea restaurant and the promenade Café had excellent food and over the top service. Though we only stayed one night we felt we went back in time. Many decades.

The food was good in the restaurant.

The ship was amazing. I felt like I went back in time. The room was lovely. I was not expecting 21st century luxury.

Our stay was fabulous. A beautiful ship, beautifully maintained. We spent the afternoon looking at the preserved attractions on the ship. They were so well preserved, the short movie about its history and the replicas of offices and rooms on the ship were fantastic!

We loved staying at the Queen Mary,. We had three couples and each had a different type of room. Food was good in the dining area. We loved walking around and reading all the history. Wish we could of stayed another day and took the night tour.

Interesting place to stay, but the room was very cold without heat.

The guest rooms are very small, but that’s to be expected on a ship. The ship itself was fun to experience. We enjoyed walking around the ship, reading the history, viewing old pictures and artifacts and taking in the shops. The breakfast buffet was expensive and not so good. I’m glad we experienced a stay here, because I’ve always been curious.

My stay was over the top. They upgraded me to room M121, which was very much appreciated. The staff and the bellhop catered to all my needs, especially the bellhop, Jesus, and the bellhop that looks like him. It was my wedding anniversary and when I return on January 12, 2025, to stay in the Churchill Suite, I will be celebrating my retirement. I was also trying to find out how I can become a member again if the Queen Mary Heritage Foundation and be of service to the hotel. Anyway, please let all the staff and managers know how much I appreciated my stay on the Queen Mary Hotel and am looking forward to January 12. 2025. Sincerely, Jeannie Wood.